


It's Ordinary (plain and simple)

by maybe_we_were



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: F/M, Friends to Lovers, Grocery Shopping, POV Natasha Romanov, Picnics, Protective Steve
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-08
Updated: 2015-06-08
Packaged: 2018-04-03 12:16:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,303
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4100650
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/maybe_we_were/pseuds/maybe_we_were
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Natasha shouldn't be surprised that he's good with children.  </p><p>AKA Steve and Natasha hit up the grocery store with some interesting results.</p>
            </blockquote>





	It's Ordinary (plain and simple)

**Author's Note:**

> Hello all! I hope you had a good weekend. Here's a little Steve/Nat fic which involves children (though sadly, not theirs) and the grocery store. Seems like they needed some normal time :)
> 
> Stan Lee/Marvel is amazing. Enjoy!

They’re in the dairy aisle when it happens.

Steve had asked her if she needed anything at the grocery store, and although she didn’t, she asked if she could tag along (because, seriously, how often does she get to go out and do normal things?).  He was in search of milk and eggs, staples in Stark Tower, since he had used the last of both items making breakfast that morning.

Steve replied that he was happy to have her come along.

It takes them all of five minutes to get there due to Natasha’s driving, which she had insisted on.  Steve ushers her through the automatic door and grabs a green basket by both handles. 

Even though she said she didn’t need anything, the store is too tempting.  Fresh cut watermelon beckons to her from the produce section.  She surveys the different containers before carefully selecting her choice and placing it in the basket. 

While making her decision, Steve waits at her side patiently, eyes scanning the wide array of fruits and vegetables.  Natasha appreciates that he doesn’t rush her or move on without her.  Being in a place with _so_ many people makes her a little tense with being noticed, so she’s glad for his company.  Then again, standing next to a six foot, blonde haired, blue-eyed specimen like Steve Rogers probably doesn’t help, as least with the women in the surrounding aisles. 

The temptation of the store must be too much for said specimen because he grabs a few apples and plops them in the basket, careful to keep it balanced. 

“Nat,” he says.

She looks over at him, eyes trailing up his gray t-shirt to look at his face.

“Hmm?”

The way he fiddles with the handles on the basket draws her attention away from his eyes.

“Did you want to take a drive, maybe pack a picnic?” 

Her eyes snap up to his.  The bashful smile on his face leads her to think this is not just two co-workers, if you can call them that, hanging out together platonically. 

“Are you asking me out, Rogers?”

If so, it’s about freaking time.

She tries to bite back a smile but fails.  It’s cute, the way a blush slowly creeps up his neck and brightens his cheeks.

“I…I guess that depends on your answer,” he replies.

The hand not holding the basket reaches up and rubs the back of his neck, tousling the hair there. 

“What do you say?” he asks, unleashing the full force of his baby blues on her.

So. Not. Fair.

“Who could say no to that face?” she responds, mouth tilting into a smirk.

His smile broadens to the point where it _has_ to be hurting his mouth.  She pretty happy, though, because she’s been waiting for him to make a move for two weeks now.  He keeps dropping these little hints, either in conversation or via his body language. 

Just last week he pulled her into his lap so she’d have somewhere to sit while the water for her tea boiled.  The other three chairs were taken by Tony, Pepper, and Clint, all munching on some form of breakfast.  It surprised her at first, the way his hand shot out and wrapped around her midsection.  He didn’t say anything, merely tugged her back so she was sitting on his thigh.  Tony raised an eyebrow and looked like he was going to say something _completely_ embarrassing or inappropriate when a yelp escaped his lips, his hand moving down to clutch something beneath the table.  Pepper gave she and Steve a wide smile, bright red lips showcasing a set of pearly white teeth, before returning to her conversation with Clint. 

They walk down each of the aisles, collecting odds and ends for their picnic.  To others, it may seem like a lot of food, but with her healthy appetite and Steve’s metabolism, it should be just right. 

By the time they get to the dairy aisle, their basket is filled to the brim with bread, lunch meat, chips, various fruits, and other items.  For most people, the weight of the basket would have been too hard on their hands, but Steve handles it with ease. 

As they check out the eggs, Natasha catches a small blur out of the corner of her eye. 

“Oh,” she hears.

This isn’t from Steve, but from the young brown-haired girl who just bumped into his jean-clad leg.  Natasha guesses she’s somewhere between two to three years old, judging by her height and build.  The package of cheese the girl had slips from her fingers onto the floor.  Her eyes are wide and Natasha’s afraid she might cry, tears forming in her hazel eyes as she looks up at Steve.

Immediately, Steve crouches down, setting the basket on the floor.

“Are you ok?” he asks, searching for signs of distress. 

He must not see any, because a gentle smile covers his face. The little girl says nothing, just shakes her head.

“Hi, I’m Steve and this is Natasha,” his thumb points back in Natasha’s direction, “What’s your name?”

“Iris.”

It comes out as a whisper, but it’s loud enough for both of them to hear.

“Nice to meet you! Excited you found what you were looking for?” Steve asks.

This time, a nod yes.

“I don’t blame you, this store is huge!”

Steve picks up the package off the ground, then hands it back to her.  The tears that were in Iris’ eyes a few seconds ago are gone, a shy smile on her face.  She sways back and forth a little, the way that kids do, before Steve asks if she knows where her mom or dad are.  Another nod is the response they get, accompanied with a finger that points to a brunette-haired woman at the other end of the long aisle.

“How about we get you back to her?” he asks, though it’s more of a rhetorical question than anything.  Of course, he’d want to walk her back to her mother. 

Iris holds up both arms and Steve simply scoops her up and places her on his hip, one large hand steadying her on the back while the other holds her under the leg.

Natasha stands there with the basket at her feet, in awe of what transpired.  The way Steve handled the whole situation was impressive and him holding Iris…it makes her want to melt.  There’s something extremely attractive to her about a man who can get along well with children, even though she can’t have any of her own. 

She observes as Steve talks with the mother, who looks apologetic, before he apparently calms whatever fears she may have had.  He sets Iris down, who then clings to his leg before moving to stand next to her mother.  Steve and the mother shake hands, then he bends down and waves one last time to Iris, who waves back.

He shuffles back over to where Natasha is waiting, eyes bright.  His eyes flick back over to Iris and her mother as he picks up the basket.

“What?” he questions as he straightens out, and Natasha realizes she’s probably been staring at him.  Normally she can control her emotions, but _damn_.  She’s happy to explain.

“The way you talked with her, it was nice.  I've never seen you around kids before.”

She reaches out her hand until their fingers brush, weaving them together.  He chuckles and glances down at their entwined hands, squeezing a little bit. 

“Let’s get out of here,” she says.

He has absolutely _no_ clue how much she is into him.  She can’t wait until they’re alone together outside, laying on a picnic blanket and enjoying the sunshine, where she can show him just how much she likes a man who is good with children. 

 

 


End file.
